On Election Day, November 5th, voters will have an opportunity to raise our state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour and include an annual cost of living increase. Despite being one of the most expensive states in the country, New Jersey’s minimum wage is among the lowest minimum wage in the United States, matching the federal mandatory minimum.
Full-time workers making the current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour earn $14,500 annually – about $3,600 below the poverty line for a family of three. Over 400,000 New Jerseyans, including 230,000 children, would be positively impacted by the measure, providing an additional $1,000 to $2,000 each year.
This money will go directly back into our communities, revitalizing our local economies and supporting our small businesses. Raising the minimum wage in New Jersey is a step in the right direction in terms of addressing rising poverty levels, lowering income inequality, and reducing the number of workers who must rely on public assistance programs despite having a job.
Whether you’re a student, a parent, or a small business owner, raising the minimum wage is a commonsense solution that puts New Jersey on a sustainable path to economic stability. Therefore, we urge all voters to exercise their voice on Election Day November 5th, to support the minimum wage ballot question, and provide working families in New Jersey a long-overdue raise.
Find out more at www.raisethewagenj.org